


That Isn't Me

by Movielover52



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Prophecy (Final Fantasy XV), Angst, Bottom Noctis Lucis Caelum, Explicit Sexual Content, Feels, Guilt, M/M, Noctis imposter, Noctis in hiding, Top Prompto Argentum, gonna try at least, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:20:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Movielover52/pseuds/Movielover52
Summary: Four years ago Noctis ran away. It's tough surviving on his own, but he manages. While his father was searching for him, Noctis was busy taking hunts or fishing. One day, he happens to come across some news. Apparently, he had been found.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 37
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on this [prompt](https://writeroftheprompts.tumblr.com/post/628098331503149056/someone-who-ran-away-sees-on-the-news-that-they)
> 
> Enjoy!

_You Lose_

Noctis frowned at the "Game Over" screen. He blamed the bad wifi for his defeat. He was currently sitting in a small cafe located in Lestallum and chowing down on a muffin. He was playing a new game called _King’s Knight_ on his recently purchased phone. His phone was not all that great compared to his previous one, but as long as he could still play games, it’ll have to do. He had gotten this one as a present for himself on his 19th birthday. 

It had taken him a while to save enough gil to buy a new phone since he had to ditch his previous one to avoid getting tracked. While hunts usually paid a decent amount, most of the money went towards food and motel rooms. It probably hadn’t been a good idea to go on these hunts alone, but he had desperately needed the money, especially since he no longer had access to his bank account. After some time, he had gained enough skill where he could take on a pack of coeurls by himself. Besides, he had only gained a few scars. No big deal.

Someone walked past his table, and Noctis casually pulled his hood further over his head to hide his face. He had run away about four years ago. His dad had informed him that he had been arranged to marry Lady Lunafreya when he turned 20. Noctis had not been happy about that at all. He had argued with his dad for hours. His dad had stated that it would help improve relations with Niflheim; that there was no other way. 

_“Is there really no other option, or is that what those assholes on the Council said because they were too lazy to think of something else?”_

His dad had told him that it was the best for Lucis and its people, but Noctis had refused listen and had stormed out of the room. It hadn’t been that he hated his friend Luna, but he had only been 15 for Astrals’ sake. He had also wanted to, at least, be free to choose who he married. Not to mention, he was into guys. Besides, Noctis couldn’t see how a marriage with Luna was supposed to stop the fighting. Sure, the Niffs had control over the Oracle, but it wasn’t like she was related to their emperor or anything. So, what difference would it make? Surely, the Council, or even his father, would have seen that?

Thinking about his father caused Noctis to put his phone down. He had honestly meant to return to Insomnia after a couple of months. However, the guilt of running away had prevented him from returning. The longer he had spent in hiding, the worse he had felt. How could he face his dad after causing him so much heartbreak? He let out a sigh before finishing his muffin. He put his phone in his pocket and left the cafe.

There was a nice breeze blowing on this sunny day in Lestallum. It was noon, and the weather was a little too warm for Noctis’s liking. He debated what he should do for the day. He was still tired from the previous day’s hunt. Perhaps, he should visit Galdin Quay. If he can get some new fishing line, then he could spend some time fishing. He wondered if he had enough money to get some food there too. He had managed to save enough gil to buy a meal there once, and it had been delicious. Though, it hadn’t been as good as Ignis’s food.

Noctis found himself missing Ignis at times. The first couple of years had been the roughest, and he could have used his advisor’s guidance. It had been then when Noctis had realized he had never fully appreciated Ignis. And, despite their rough start, Noctis regretted leaving Gladio behind. His shield probably could have helped him out with hunts and would have joked that Noctis had become a man when he had gotten his scars. Noctis wished they were there with him.

He strolled through the town down to the outlook. After popping a gil into the slot, he peered into one of those tourist binoculars. His view landed on the Disc of Cauthess. Now there was a place he had yet to visit. He should go down there to check out the place where the Titan was still holding up the meteor. Noctis had no idea how his arms weren’t tired after all this time. Holding a giant rock for centuries sounded like too much work. Surely, there wouldn’t be any harm in putting it down for a minute or two.

Noctis gave a little shrug. Maybe he could get a nice picture or two using his phone. He backed away from the binoculars and walked away. He was debating whether he should rent another chocobo when he went past a stand that contained newspapers. Normally, he did not bother with the news. Most of the newspapers talked about mundane things that no one really cared about. Oh, a celebrity had given birth? Wow, like no one had ever done that before.

Occasionally, he would look them over whenever something big was happening with Lucis and Niflheim. Sometimes, there would be speculation about his whereabouts and what it would mean for the peace treaty. Naturally, his dad was determined to find him. Noctis had lost count of how many times he had come across members of the Kingsglaive. There had been a few times where he had almost been discovered.

However, the headline of today’s newspaper caught his eye. It was another piece about him, but this time it was different. The picture was of him hugging his dad at the Citadel in Insomnia. This puzzled Noctis. It had been prohibited to take photos of the prince while he was under the age of 18. So, this was not an old photo. In fact, he looked to be about his current age, but he had never been anywhere near the city recently. He looked at the headline again. It had to be some sort of mistake.

“ **The Lost Prince Has Finally Returned!** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little on the short side, but I wanted to end it here.


	2. Chapter 2

Noctis was re-reading the newspaper for a third time. Apparently, the prince had returned to Insomnia on his own. There had been no official comment made about why he had decided to come back all of a sudden, nor any comments made about why he had left in the first place. Many believed it had been because of his betrothal to Luna since he had disappeared around the same time the news had broken out.

He didn’t know what to do. The rational part of his brain told him to go home and sort this mess out. However, that would mean facing everyone. A small part of him desired to stay away. After all, this could benefit everyone. Lucis got the heir they need back, and Noctis was allowed to continue living freely. No one to tell him to get up in the mornings or who he should marry. But the rational part of his brain knew he couldn’t do do nothing about this situation. Who knew what this person masquerading around as him wanted. Would this person hurt his dad? He ran his fingers through his hair. There were so many thoughts running through his head. 

He was too distracted to pay attention to what was in front of him as he walked. He didn’t notice the stranger until he crashed into the person. Noctis looked down at the man who had fallen onto the ground. The guy had short blonde hair that had a part of it swooped upward. Weird. He also had a camera hanging around his neck. Noctis held out his hand to help the man up.

“Sorry!”

The guy only stared at him, which kind of made him feel a little uncomfortable. Eventually, the stranger took hold of his hand. When the guy was back on his feet, Noctis noticed his bright blue eyes that had a hint of violet. He also had a bunch of freckles sprinkled across his cheeks. He looked familiar. In any other situation, Noctis would be taking the time to admire the person’s beauty. However, he was too busy mentally freaking out about the recent turn of events.

“Thanks,” the guy said. He continued to stare at Noctis like he was trying to figure something out.

“Well, uh, sorry again. See ya.”

Noctis was about to leave, but the guy stopped him.

“Prince Noctis, is that you?”

“What? No.”

Noctis pulled his hood further over his head before quickly walking away. However, the blonde kept up with his pace.

“It is! Sorry, we went to the same school, so I sorta recognized you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, you probably don’t remember me. We didn’t really talk much. I mean, we sorta did once. I tripped, and you tried to help me up.”

The guy was rubbing the back of his head. A memory of a boy around his age wearing glasses came to Noctis’s mind. What was his name again?

“That was you?”

“So, you do remember me?”

“A little, um…”

“Oh, Prompto! So, what are you doing here, your highness? Aren’t you supposed to Insom—”

Noctis quickly covered his mouth.

“Keep it down, will you? It’s difficult to explain, okay?”

Prompto removed Noctis’s hand from his face. “Well, now I’m really curious. What’s going on?”

Noctis sighed. “Fine. Do you have a hotel room or something so we can talk privately? And drop the whole ‘your highness’ thing.”

Prompto nodded and led Noctis to a small hotel. They went up to his room on the third floor. Inside the room was a single bed, a couple of chairs, and a TV. It was about as big as some of the motels he had stayed in. This room was cleaner, though. Prompto grabbed the newspaper from Noctis’s hands.

“So, how did you get all the way from Insomnia to out here in a day?”

“I didn’t actually. I haven’t been anywhere near the city in four years.”

Prompto pointed to the photo. “Well, this dude looks a lot like you.”

“Yeah, that’s what I don’t get. Whatever is going on, there’s someone pretending to be me.”

“Who do you think it is?”

“I don’t know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you going to go back?”

“I don’t know!”

Noctis flopped onto the bed and tightly gripped his hair. The mere thought of going back to the Citadel filled him with anxiety. He wondered what the fake Noctis was currently doing. Did he even know how to act as the real prince? Wouldn’t the others have noticed that he was acting strange? Then again, they might chalk it up to him having been gone for a few years. The bed shifted, and a hand gently touched his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. Tell you what, we’re going to march down to Insomnia, and we’re going to sort this out. Maybe even kick this imposter’s ass if we need to.”

“You make it sound so easy. Maybe, I don’t want to go back."

"But you gotta! You're the prince!"

"So? Who says that I have to? Everyone's been doing just fine without me."

Noctis knew he was being ridiculous, but he was too hesitant to return to the city, to his dad.

"Maybe, they won’t want me back. Who knows, he might be a better me than me. My dad might be better off with this guy as a son.”

Noctis’s face was suddenly grabbed and turned towards Prompto, who squished his cheeks together.

“Repeat after me. I am a guppy, and guppies don’t smile.”

“I don’t see how this has anything to do—”

Prompto only repeated the sentence louder. Noctis sighed.

“I am a guppy, and guppies don’t smile.”

“But I do!”

“But I do.”

Noctis felt as ridiculous as he sounded. Prompto let go of his face and started to giggle. He had the brightest smile that Noctis had ever seen. It was like looking at the sun; it didn’t help that he had blonde hair. Not to mention, his laugh was a bit contagious. Noctis tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. He lightly pushed Prompto.

“This is serious.”

“Listen, I know that I don’t know anything about your dad, but I imagine that he would want his real son back.”

Noctis only shrugged his shoulders. Prompto stood up and pulled him to his feet.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“You mean the both of us? Aren’t you, like, busy with anything?”

“Nah. I’m only here to take pictures to help build my portfolio. Though, I occasionally do some work for Vyv. I don’t really mind helping out.”

“I... can't. I'm sorry."

Noctis stormed out of the room, and, to his surprise, Prompto didn't come after him. He spent the rest of the day hiding out. He planned to leave the following morning. Where? he did not know. He just needed to get away from here. He sort of felt bad for leaving Prompto, but he hadn't wanted to be around his former classmate long enough to see the look of disappointment that would have appeared on his face. Noctis was already disappointed with himself.

That night, he had a decent dream. He was traveling around the continent with Ignis and Gladio. One moment they were running through the fields on a hunt, the next, the two disappeared, leaving Noctis alone. Suddenly, he was back in the Citadel. Specifically, he was in the throne room. In front of him, his dad was standing with his back facing Noctis. Near his dad was another Noctis. The real Noctis tried to call out to his dad, but it was as if his dad couldn't hear him. The other Noctis pulled out a weapon to strike his dad. Noctis tried running to his dad, but it was like he couldn't get near him. He woke up before the blade sliced his dad.

Checking his phone, he saw that it was around 10 a.m. Way too earlier to be awake. Sighing, he got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face and looked at his reflection. There were some bags forming under his eyes, and a yawn came out of his mouth. Leaving the bathroom, he dug through a bag on the table to find some leftover food. There were half a hamburger and several fries. The breakfast of champions. Afterward, he left his motel room. He tried to sneak his way out of Lestallum without bumping into Prompto again. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

A hand landed on his shoulder and forced him to turn around. It was none other than Prompto, who was frowning at him.

"We're going back to Insomnia, and I don't want to hear any 'buts.' Got it?"

"But—"

Prompto interrupted him and would not let him speak until he agreed to go. This guy was being annoyingly persistent. Maybe, Noctis could warp as far away as he could from Prompto. But that would mean giving away his identity to any onlookers. Fuck, why was he in Lestallum again? Reluctantly, he agreed, and Prompto thrust his fist into the air in victory.

“It's a long way to Insomnia. Do you have a car?” Noctis asked.

“Nah, dude, I don’t even have my license.”

“You never got your license?”

“Did you?”

Noctis opened his mouth to retort but closed it again. Heat rose to his cheeks, and he turned away.

“Hey, it’s fine. I rented a chocobo and still have about a day left with her. She can be our way of getting there.”

“Okay, but we should stop by Wiz’s outpost, so I can get my own bird to ride.”

They walked over to a stall that housed rented chocobos. Prompto led his own out and petted her neck. He looked really excited to be around the chocobo, and Noctis went around Prompto and mounted the large bird. 

“Hey! This is my chocobo; I get to be in front.”

He gave a little pout, which Noctis couldn’t help but think it looked adorable.

“You snooze, you lose.”

Prompto gave a huff before climbing up and sitting behind Noctis. Noctis, on the other hand, chose to ignore the butterflies in his stomach when Prompto’s arms wrapped around his waist. He got the chocobo moving to the direction of the farm. Things were quiet between them on the ride, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable kind of silence. It was quiet until Prompto started to hum the chocobo song for five minutes.

“So, what have you been up to all this time?”

“Nothing much. Just fishing and going on hunts.”

“All by yourself? Wow. You must be really good at fighting.”

Noctis smirked at the comment. It did help that he had someone like Gladio train him for a while.

“How come you ran away?” Prompto asked. Noctis should have suspected that he was going to be asked that question. He was dreading having to explain it. The reasoning did seem a little ridiculous when looking back on it. His hands tightened their grip on the reigns. “Oh, sorry, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“It’s fine. Besides, it was kind of dumb anyway.”

“I’m sure it can’t be _that_ bad if it made you stay away for so long.”

Noctis shrugged, and the two continued on their way to Wiz’s outpost. When they got there, Prompto dismounted first. Noctis got down after him. The chocobo rested her head on his shoulder, and he hugged her neck. He heard a click and turned to see Prompto standing near him with a camera pointed at him. Prompto lowered the camera as he rubbed the back of his head. Noctis stared wide-eyed at him.

“Sorry, I can’t help it. Sometimes, I see a really good shot, and I just have to take it. Great moments wait for no one.”

“It’s fine.”

Noctis was kind of curious about his photos, but before he could ask to see them, Wiz approached them. They rented another chocobo, and Prompto extended the rental period for his one. They left soon afterward. Both of them traveled for a couple of hours before coming across a gas station. Prompto suggested they take a break and get something to eat at the Crow’s Nest. Noctis’s stomach growled at the mention of food. They got off their chocobos and entered the restaurant. 

They both ordered the same thing, a burger, fries, and a soda. They sat at a booth to eat their meals. Prompto made a comment about Noctis taking out the lettuce and tomato, but Noctis rolled his eyes.

“So how long have you been taking pictures?” Noctis asked.

“Ever since I was in middle school. I would take pictures of the local animals.”

“That’s cool. Can I see some?”

Prompto was hesitant to give Noctis his camera, but when Noctis took it, he took his time looking at each photo. They were actually pretty good. Some were of crowded places, and others were of animals. There were even some photos of the sky. One was a nice shot of the sunset. He had seen the sunset plenty of times, but something about how this image was taken made the sunset seem magnificent.

“You really are a professional, huh?”

“Nah, I’m pretty much still an amateur with this stuff.”

“Dude, these are very good. Seriously. I’m gonna try to convince my dad to hire you as our royal photographer or something.”

“R-really?”

Noctis smiled and nodded, and Prompto went back to eating. His cheeks turned bright red, which Noctis wanted to see more of. He kind of liked the idea of making his former classmate blush. The two of them finished up their food and left the building. They made sure their chocobos were okay to continue traveling before setting off again. They talked a little more about themselves. Noctis told Prompto about some of the stuff he had done. He mentioned his more proud hunts while not bringing up the embarrassing ones. Prompto didn’t need to know about his battle with some cactuars. He had been plucking out needles for hours, and they had been **everywhere**.

They were approaching Hammerhead, and anxiety started to fill Noctis. He knew that Cid knew his father, and there was a high chance that the mechanic would contact his dad if he saw him. Granted, Noctis was heading back anyways, but he needed the element of surprise. There was a possibility that the guy was only pretending to be him for the royal benefits. However, if this imposter was there for malicious reasons, then Noctis did not want to give the guy a chance to prepare a counterattack.

Not to mention, Cid would probably smack him with a wrench as a form of lecture for his foolishness. Yeah, Noctis did not feel like dealing with the old man anytime soon. He was willing to set up camp for the night, but it looked like it was going to rain. He was not in the mood to camp in the rain. So, a motel it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sauri on tumblr, @movielover52 on twitter if you wanna say hi


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I made small changes to the last chapter. Nothing major, just added a couple things and moved a little bit of the end to this chapter.

4 years ago

~~~

Noctis thanked the driver before stepping out of the truck. One of the buildings had a sign that read “Hammerhead.” He noticed that there was a restaurant next to it, and his stomach growled. He went inside and tried to order a burger. However, he was quick to learn that every place outside Insomnia used a currency called gil. He also learned that he could earn gil by completing hunts. He had to beg the man to let him take one on. Eventually, the man gave him the easiest one he had available.

It was a simple hunt. He just had to kill a small pack of animals. Luckily, he only came out with several scratches. He got paid and decided to see what the rest of Hammerhead had to offer. He didn’t get to explore long enough before an older man stopped him. From the look of his clothes, it seemed that he might be working at the garage. 

“You seem familiar.”

“I-I do?”

“Yeah, I see it now. You must be Reggie’s boy. You look as if someone kicked the dignity right outta him.”

Noctis was not sure how to respond to that. He felt a little insulted.

“How do you know he’s my dad?”

“‘Cause I ain’t stupid. What are you doing out here without any guards? Not even your shield is with you. I know Reggie ain't crazy enough to let his boy wonder around by himself.”

“You sound like you know him.”

“We go way back. You still didn’t answer my question.”

Noctis felt like he was backed into a corner. What were the odds that some guy living in the middle of nowhere knew his dad? This wasn’t good. It wouldn’t be long until the place was surrounded by glaives. He had to get out of there. Taking out a weapon, he quickly kept warping away until he got tired. Even then, he forced himself to keep going.

Present Day

~~~

Noctis stared at the small town with apprehension.

“Hey, is it okay if we hang out outside of Hammerhead until night time before we get a motel room? There’s someone I kind of want to avoid.”

“Um, sure?”

The two of them waited a couple of hours until it got dark. Using the cover of darkness and avoiding the demons that started to spawn, they quickly rented a room. By the time they entered their room, they were soaking wet from the rain. Noctis mentioned something about changing out of his wet clothes, and Prompto concluded that he should too. Noctis looked at the bathroom and then to Prompto, who was looking back at him. 

Noctis summoned a dagger behind his back and immediately threw it towards the bathroom when Prompto took off. He warped in front of the door and quickly closed it. He locked it, and there was banging on the door.

“Hey, no fair! You cheated!”

Noctis smirked as he ignored Prompto’s complaints. He removed his clothes and decided to take a warm bath. Afterward, he took out some dry clothes from the armiger and got dressed. He left the bathroom to see Prompto lying on one of the beds. He was wearing a different set of clothes, which consisted of shorts and a tank top. Noctis had to pry his eyes away from Prompto’s exposed legs. He sat down on the other bed and pulled out his phone. He gazed at Prompto again.

“Hey, you don’t happen to play  _ King’s Knight,  _ do you?”

“Only all the time.”

“Want to play together?”

“Sure!”

Noctis sent Prompto an invite code, and the two campaigned together until they got too tired. The lights were turned off, and they fell asleep.

The next morning, Noctis sat up, not recognizing where he was. Then, he remembered the events of the previous day. He groaned and fell back down onto the bed. He wished that it had all been a dream, but that would have been asking for too much. He looked over to the other bed only to see that it was missing a certain blonde. The bathroom door was open with the lights off, so he wasn’t there. 

Just then, the door opened, and Prompto came into the room. He was carrying a bag of food. His cheeks were red, and his face looked sweaty.

“Oh, hey, you’re up!”

“Unfortunately.”

Noctis rested an arm over his eyes. He felt something land beside him. Looking over, he saw that it was the bag of food from the Crow’s Nest across the street. He opened it up to see that inside were some pancakes and a small packet of syrup.

“You got breakfast?”

Prompto hummed in response.

“What about you?”

“I already ate after my run.”

“You run? By choice?”

Prompto gave a slight laugh. “I started doing in middle school, and it just became a habit. I kinda enjoy doing it actually.”

Noctis scrunched his face. He didn’t understand how anyone could like running for fun. He took the container of pancakes out of the bag and opened it up. He poured syrup over the pancakes and cut a piece, placing it into his mouth. Nothing like breakfast from a greasy burger joint to start the day. He heard a click sound and turned to see that it was Prompto holding his camera again.

“Are you going to keep taking pictures of me the whole time?”

“Not the whole time. Just the times when you’re in bed, shoveling food into your mouth while your hair is all messed up. You look like a gremlin.”

“Delete that right now.”

“Mmmm, nope.”

“Prompto,” Noctis warned.

“Make me.”

Noctis carefully placed the container to the side then launched himself towards Prompto, who tried to get away. He tackled him onto Prompto’s bed, pinning him down. Prompto tried to hold the camera away from him, but he tried reaching for it. Prompto wrapped an arm around his torso in an attempt to hold him down.

“No, don’t touch my baby!”

Noctis was pressed against Prompto’s chest. He soon noticed how close his face was to Prompto’s and felt the heat rise to his cheeks. His eyes drifted down to Prompto’s lips. They were a nice shade of pink, and they were mere inches away from his own. He briefly wondered what it would be like to kiss them. Noctis had to get rid of the thoughts from his head. He had no idea why he was thinking about kissing Prompto.

Noctis was interrupted from his thoughts when Prompto suddenly blew air into one of his eyes. He was released and immediately stood up.

“Hey, unfair!” Noctis asserted, rubbing his eye. Prompto stuck his tongue out.

“Not as unfair as you teleporting.”

Noctis rolled his eyes. He went back to his bed and finished his food. Meanwhile, Prompto went to the bathroom to take a shower. Noctis remembered that it was now daytime, so there was a chance that he would run into Cid. It was likely that he would spend most of his time inside the garage while his granddaughter went outside to greet customers. Still, they would need to make a swift exit. Prompto exited the bathroom as he dried his hair with a towel.

“So, how long ‘til we reach the city?”

“Probably less than a day.”

“Right, so we should leave as soon as possible.”

Noctis nodded in response. They got ready to leave and checked out of the motel. He pulled his hood over his head.

“Man, you really do not want to run into this person, huh?”

“Cid knew my dad from forever ago. That last thing I need is him contacting my dad or giving me a headache.”

“Oh, okay. Though, if he does see you, then at least we would be driven to the city in style.”

Noctis rolled his eyes.

“Let’s just go.”

They got onto their chocobos and rode out of Hammerhead. It wasn’t long until they had an unfortunate encounter with some sabertusks. Noctis wanted to ride past them, but Prompto was worried that the creatures would chase them and hurt the chocobos. Looking at approaching sabertusks, Noctis got off his large bird and summoned his weapon. He told Prompto to stay back before warping towards the beasts.

He brought the blade down on one, reveling in the way the weapon sliced its back. He always enjoyed the adrenaline these fights would give him. Normally, he would have no problem fighting the sabertusks, but he now had someone else to worry about. One tried to lash at him from the side, but he managed to dodge in time. Unfortunately, another one managed to jump onto Noctis, pinning him down.

As suddenly as the creature was on top of him, it was gone. Noctis looked to see that Prompto had tackled the sabertusk.

“Prompto, what are you doing!?”

“Uh, helping you–gah!”

The sabertusk shoved Prompto off of it. Noctis warped over and killed it.

“Stay back! It’s not safe!”

“I’m not letting you fight these things by yourself!”

“I’ll be fine!”

There were two remaining sabertusks left, and Prompto refused to leave Noctis’s side.

“Do you know how to fight?”

“Not really.”

Noctis pulled a pistol out of the armiger and handed it to Prompto. He didn’t want him here, but it was better if Prompto had something to defend himself with.

“Do you know how to use a gun, at least?”

“Uh, just point and shoot, like a camera, right?”

Good enough. Noctis turned back to the approaching sabertusks. He warped behind one and struck it. A few shots rang out, and one of them hit the other creature in the leg. The sabertusk decided to run towards Prompto. Before Noctis could do anything, the one in front of him went to attack him. He needed to take this one down and then help Prompto. He heard several gunshots as he repeatedly slashed at it until it died.

He turned back around to help out Prompto but froze when he saw him on the ground. Prompto was underneath the sabertusk, and Noctis feared for the worst. He warped over to them and pushed the sabertusk off. He noticed that it was dead. Prompto, on the other hand, had his eyes squeezed shut with his pistol pressed to his chest. There was a gash on his shoulder.

“Am I dead?”

“No, not yet.”

Prompto sat up and clutched his shoulder. Noctis took out a potion and gave it to him. The wound healed, and Prompto moved his shoulder around. 

“Man, I hope this doesn’t leave a scar.”

“Scars aren’t that bad.”

“Sure, when they look cool. I just know this one’s gonna be terrible.”

“Eh, I’ve had worse.”

Prompto got up, and Noctis smacked him on his back, telling him not to be so reckless. The two of them went back to their chocobos that were still safe. They continued to travel until it was a couple of hours before dark. Noctis directed them to a nearby haven, where he set up camp. It wasn’t much of a campsite. It was just a pile of firewood and a small tent that was meant mainly for one person.

Noctis decided to spend the rest of the daylight hours fishing for their dinner. It didn’t matter how many times he did it. Noctis would always like fishing. It was calm and helped him clear his head of noisy thoughts. Not everyone liked the hobby because of how boring it seemed. Maybe that’s why he liked it so much. No one would be willing to stick around to watch him fish. That meant no judgment or annoying chatter.

Prompto came to watch, but he must have gotten bored since he went to do something else ten minutes later. Noctis managed to catch three fish before he had to wrap it up. He prepared the fish while he instructed Prompto on how to build a fire. The fish got cooked afterward. He wished that he had spices or something to flavor it so it wouldn’t taste so bland. Prompto wasn’t complaining, so he didn’t feel too embarrassed.

The two began talking about random things. Mainly about their favorite games. Noctis brought up the fact that he loved  _ Assassin's Creed _ . Prompto talked about how they released a new game the previous year, and he had just gotten around to play it. Noctis was envious even though he knew that he had no room to be. The more they talked, the more fun Prompto proved to be. Things became silent between them, and Noctis looked at Prompto. He was mesmerized by the glow of the fire on his face.

“How come we never became friends?”

“Hm?”

“It’s just that I would see you hanging around, but you never talked to me. I could have used a real friend. I probably wouldn’t have done something so stupid.”

Prompto bit his lip as he remained silent for a moment before replying.

“I wanted to, but I never felt like I was good enough to hang out with you.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“I was the overweight Niff kid, and you were the prince. I just didn’t feel worthy enough to be around you. So, I kept trying to lose weight until I could approach you. Of course, when I could, that’s when you decided to disappear.”

“I don’t care about that. I would’ve been happy to be your friend.”

“Yeah, but after what you said, I got all insecure.”

“Wait, what did I say?”

Prompto rubbed the back of his neck. He looked hesitant to answer. Noctis began to get worried. He didn’t remember much of what had happened then. But knowing how dumb he had been, he probably had said something stupid. Oh astrals, what did he tell Prompto?”

“You said I was heavy when you were helping me up.”

Noctis felt the color drain from his face. Had he really said that? He couldn’t believe it. If he could go back in time, he would slap his younger self. He just kept messing up and hurting those around him. Clenching his fist, he looked Prompto dead in the eyes.

“Prompto, I am so sorry.”

“Hey, it’s fine. It was a long time ago.”

“It really isn’t fine. I shouldn’t have said what I said. You seemed like a cool guy even back then.”

Noctis tried to stop his eyes from becoming misty. This was not the time to feel sorry for himself. Another minute passed before Prompto said anything.

“I, uh, have always looked on myself. I don’t hate you or anything, but I’m going to need a while to process this if that’s okay?”

“Yeah.”

Prompto wiped his eyes and tried to lighten the mood. That was one thing Noctis could appreciate about him. He really wished he hadn’t been an ass so they could have been friends. They could have spent many nights playing games. Maybe he could have sneakily given Prompto his vegetables.

The two of them decided to call it an evening and crammed inside the small tent. They lied down, and Noctis tried not to think about how close they were. He was really confused as to why he was getting so flustered around Prompto. He had never reacted this way around anyone else before. Then again, he had spent the majority of the time by himself. Maybe that was it? He was not used to being so close to someone for so long.

He tried to fall asleep but was having a difficult time doing so. He looked over at Prompto, who was out cold already. He was wondering why he was helping him out. Noctis felt that he didn’t deserve his kindness. Sighing, he turned to his side and tried to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [sauri5](https://mobile.twitter.com/movielover52) on Twitter and tumblr, if you want to say hi!  
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this chapter done!

Prompto and Noctis were finally at the bridge that led to Insomnia. The buildings grew larger as they got closer. He could make out the giant wall that was being held up by his dad. Oh, how he hated that wall. It was a necessary evil, and he had always feared the day he would have to sacrifice his health to the crystal to keep people safe.

They reached the entry point of the city, and Noctis pulled his hood up. They got off their chocobos, who ran off to return to Wiz’s place. He avoided making eye contact with the guards. They asked what was wrong, and Prompto lied that Noctis was sick. The Prince coughed as he said this. Both of them managed to pass through without too much trouble. Standing in the city again, it felt weird. He couldn’t quite describe it. The best way he could explain it was that he felt a bit like an outsider.

“So, what’s the plan? Are we just going to use the front door?” Prompto asked.

“Nah, too many guards we’ll have to deal with. We can use the secret entrance to get in.”

“Woah! There’s a secret entrance?”

“The Citadel has several secret passageways. One of them leads outside in case the royal family has to evacuate.”

“Aw man, that’s so cool!”

Noctis shook his head. He didn’t really find the secret passages all that exciting. Then again, he had roamed around the ones that he had discovered as a kid quite often, so he had gotten used to them quickly. It had been fun scaring some of the workers by making loud moans as they had walked by his spot in the walls. Ignis had scolded him whenever he had found out. Of course, that had never stopped him from doing it again. Maybe after they deal with everything, he could show them to Prompto.

“I can hail us a cab,” Prompto stated.

“Can’t we just walk?”

“Dude, that’s at least a couple-hour walk! I’m not walking that.”

Noctis sighed and agreed to get in a cab. He knew that he shouldn’t waste any more time, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t even know what he was going to say to everyone. Both of them got into a taxi. They told the driver to drop them off at a location that was about ten minutes away from the Citadel.

As they were driven to their destination, Noctis stared out of the window. So much, yet, so little had changed. The city and its people looked pretty much the same. However, he noticed that there were some new buildings. The car passed by an arcade that he had visited a couple of times after school. He wondered if there were any new games there.

The people walking on the sidewalk were going about their days. Unaware of what was going on and too busy worrying about their own problems. He had always felt distant from everyone. They had never approached him to be friends, making it clear that he was a prince first and foremost. Looking at the people walking around, he still felt distant. There were a couple of giant screens on some of the buildings. They displayed the recent news, which was all about Noctis and his return. There was footage of his imposter and his dad. Noctis forced himself to look away and opted to stare at the ceiling of the car.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the place. They paid the driver, and Noctis led Prompto to where the entrance of the passageway. It was in a more secluded area at a park. Noctis remembered using it to escape the Citadel whenever he needed to get away for some time to himself. Sighing, he searched around until he came across some bushes that crowded around a tree. 

Looking around to make sure there wasn’t anyone nearby, he made his way past a couple of bushes and knelt down. Noctis patted the ground until it sounded like he hit something hollow. He brought his fingers to the edge and lifted the hatch. Down below was a ladder that led into darkness. 

“We have to go down there?” Prompto asked.

“Yup.”

“But it’s so dark. I don’t know about this.”

“It’s fine. There are some lights that should still work.”

Noctis gestured to the ladder, and Prompto hesitantly climbed down. Noctis followed after and closed the hatch. Once he reached the ground, he felt along the wall until he found a light switch. He flipped it, the lights came on. He and Prompto walked down the tunnel. The temperature was cool, and there were small sounds from deep within that echoed. A couple of the lights flickered as they made their way to the inside of the Citadel.

“I really hope we don’t come across a dead body,” Prompto stated as he looked around.

“Why would there be a dead body?” Noctis asked.

“This looks like the best place to hide a body.”

Noctis rolled his eyes in amusement. After a couple of minutes, they reached the end of the tunnel. There was another ladder that led up into a small corridor. They climbed up and walked up to a wall. Noctis put his ear against the wall but didn’t hear anything on the other side. Slowly, he opened the door. Taking a quick look around, he and Prompto quickly entered the hallway.

Now he had to figure out where to go. His best bet would be to talk to his dad, but where was he? He could try the throne room, but he would likely be in a meeting. There was also the chance that he was in his office. He hoped his dad was not stuck in a meeting.

“Aren’t we going to get into trouble if someone sees us?” Prompto asked.

“Not really. I mean, I’m the prince, after all. Just act like you’re supposed to be here, and it’ll be fine.”

Noctis opted to head to his dad’s office first. After that, they could try the throne room. If anyone attempted to stop him, he would just keep going. No more distractions. He led Prompto down some hallways to get to the elevator. So far, there was nobody in sight. They rounded the corner, and Noctis stopped in his tracks when he came face to face with his doppelganger. The other Noctis looked surprised for a second before giving a sly grin.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the other Noctis asked.

“Woah, he sounds just like you, Noct,” Prompto whispered. Was that really how he sounded like? Now that he was up close, he could see that this person was an exact copy. It was impossible. There hadn’t been any new images of him for who knows how long. So, how did this guy make his disguise so convincing?

“Who are you?” Noctis questioned.

“Why I’m the Prince, of course.”

“No, you’re not! I am!”

The imposter placed his hand on his chin and looked away as if he was contemplating something. “If I recall correctly, you gave all that up the moment you decided to abandon everyone you cared about.”

That comment felt like a jab to Noctis’s chest. He gritted his teeth but didn’t say anything in response. He knew that he didn’t deserve to be royalty, but this wasn’t right. He didn’t have time to waste with this guy. He really needed to get to his dad.

“You should have seen the look on your father’s face. Oh, how happy he was to finally see his son again. I do believe tears were shed.”

Now the man was just pouring salt in the wounds. As much as Noctis was hurt by the statement, he could only focus on the anger he felt. Clenching his fist, he tried to walk past the other Noctis. However, the imposter summoned a weapon out of thin air. Pink sparks appeared as he did so. Noctis stood in disbelief. He thought only members of the royal family, the Crownsguard, and the Glaives could do that. There was no way this guy fell under any of those categories.

He pointed the blade toward Noctis, who summoned his own weapon. Prompto drew the pistol that Noctis had let him keep.

“Now, now. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“I’m going to tell my father what’s happening, and you’re going to wish that you never stepped foot in Insomnia,” Noctis replied. He tried to speak with as much authority as he could muster.

“Daddy dearest is quite busy today. It would be irresponsible of me to let you interrupt his important meeting.”

The imposter rushed at him and swung his weapon. Noctis brought his own up to block the attack. He directed the blade to the side before pulling his sword back to slash at the other Noctis, who quickly defended himself.

“What is going on!?”

Noctis turned to see that Gladio and Ignis were standing several feet away from them. They had changed a bit since he had last seen them. Gladio’s hair was longer, and his muscles were bigger, making him look the part of the Shield. Ignis was slightly taller, and his bangs were gelled up. Weird hairstyle choice, but he managed to pull it off. Both men had confusion written all over their faces. The other Noctis quickly backed away from him.

“Guys, I ran into this strange guy!” The other Noctis exclaimed.

“What is going on? Why does he look like you?” Ignis questioned.

“No clue. Given the fact that there is a Niff standing next to him, I’d say the Empire is up to something.”

“I’m a Lucian just like you guys!” Prompto proclaimed. There was a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“No, listen! I’m the real Noctis!”

“He said that he was looking for my father. I think he wants to hurt him.”

Gladio took out his greatsword from the armiger. He walked towards Noctis, glaring at him. Noctis took a step back. He had been on the receiving end of his Shield’s glare before. However, he had never seen him with such a murderous look before.

“Gladio, please! I swear that’s not the real me!” Noctis pleaded. The last thing he wanted to do was get into an actual fight with Gladio.

“If you Niffs are seriously trying to impersonate me, I suggest you wear something other than those dirty rags. Maybe then someone will believe you,” the imposter stated with a grin.

“I already failed as a Shield once. Not this time.” Gladio said. He swung at Noctis, who jumped backward to dodge. He hesitantly raised his sword only to lower it. They may have argued a lot, but Gladio understood what it was like to be born only to fulfill a role. What it was like to never have a normal childhood.

He then thought of an idea. He didn’t know how this person was able to summon a weapon, but Noctis could prove who he was by warping. There was no way the other guy could do that. He raised his weapon and aimed it at a spot where it wouldn’t hit either Gladio or Ignis. Before he could throw it, the other Noctis threw his sword at him and warped.

He saw sparks of pink instead of blue, but it was a legit warp. Who in the hell was this guy? Noctis refocused on what was happening and blocked the attack just in time. The guy had a sinister glint in his eyes as he smirked at Noctis. Before his opponent could do anything, Gladio pulled the guy away and stood in front of him.

“Stay back, your highness,” Gladio ordered.

“I can handle him just fine.”

“No, I’m not going to risk losing you again!”

Noctis was trying not to shake. He knew that he deserved this, but it hurt too much. He looked over at Ignis, who already had his daggers out and was ready to defend the other Noctis. That broke him. He took hold of Prompto’s wrist and ran away. They had to get back to the secret passageway as soon as possible. Ignis, no doubt, already alerted the whole Citadel.

He could hear Gladio shouting behind them. When they turned the corner, Noctis threw his sword toward where the entrance to the secret passage was. Tightening his grip on Prompto, they warped over. Noctis rapidly opened the door, and the two of them got inside. Once they were in the tunnel, Noctis walked with haste.

“Hey, slow down!”

Noctis ignored him and kept walking. He couldn’t stop thinking about that guy. He had his face. His voice. He could warp and summon weapons. But he wasn’t Noctis. Noctis was Noctis. Wasn’t he? Maybe Noctis was losing his sanity, and the other person was the real him. But that didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense.

If the pink sparks were anything to go by, that guy had to be associated with his family somehow. Could he be a long lost twin? Surely, his father would have mentioned him. He was so confused. A hand grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn around. He looked at Prompto’s face, which conveyed nothing but concern. Noctis backed away until his back hit the wall. He grabbed his hair in frustration and slid down onto the ground. 

He needed to come up with something, anything. He felt so lost. Noctis didn’t notice that he was crying until he felt tears running down his cheeks. He heard Prompto sit down next to him, but he stared at his knees. An arm wrapped around his shoulders.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

“It’s not going to be okay! Everything is so fucked up!”

Noctis drew in a deep breath before exhaling.

“What’s plan B?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, we’re not going to solve anything down here.”

Prompto stood up and held his hand out to Noctis. He looked at it for a second before grabbing the offered hand. With Prompto’s help, he got up on his feet. They left the secret tunnel. As they walked away, Noctis looked back at the Citadel.


	5. Chapter 5

Prompto had a simple single-bedroom apartment. There were a bunch of photos that adorned the walls. A couple of plants were on a small table near the living room window. It was a rather cozy-looking place. It was a pity that Noctis was unable to relax in the place because he was too busy trying to figure out what he should do. He resorted to pacing around the living room.

How was he going to prove that he wasn’t a fake? Wait a minute. He could have just told Ignis and Gladio stuff that only he would know. Why hadn’t he thought to do that before? Noctis felt like an idiot. Perhaps, he could still go with that plan, but know people already knew about him. So, there is probably going to be more guards on the lookout.

Just as Noctis was wracking his brain for a plan, Prompto entered the room.

“Hey, Noct, I was thinking that maybe we should just hang out for a bit.”

“And do what?”

“You know. Relax?”

Noctis looked at him incredulously. Prompto knew how serious the situation was. There was no time for them to “relax.” They were already losing precious time.

“Relax? Prompto, we can’t afford to relax. I need to find a way to get back into the Citadel and deal with that asshole.”

Prompto sighed as he linked his arm around Noctis’s own.

“You’re not going to accomplish anything being all stressed out like that. Just take the day off to chill out and refresh. It’ll be easier to think of something later.”

“I don’t know if I can. Besides, I can’t go out looking like this. People will recognize me!”

Noctis got dragged to Prompto’s bedroom.

“That’s why I already have the perfect disguise ready!”

Noctis waited awkwardly by the bed while Prompto went through the closet. He pulled out a green hood and a box. Inside the box was a brown wig. That was the disguise? He wore the hoodie and put on the wig. Standing in front of the mirror, the prince did have to admit that it would be harder to recognize him. Prompto whistled.

“Looking good!”

Noctis put the hood up when they left the apartment. He tried not to look at anyone as they passed by people. He asked where they were going, but Prompto shrugged. It was all up to Noctis, so he hesitantly chose the only place he could think of.

The two of them walked to the arcade that Noctis had gone to during his school years. Entering the building, he noticed that it still looked the same after all of these years. However, some of the games appeared to have been switched out with other ones. Noctis wondered if a few of his old favorites were still there. Maybe Prompto was right. Maybe all he needed right now was a way to clear his head.

After exchanging money for tokens, the two of them wandered around. A racing game Noctis had liked to play was still around, so he went there first. He sat on the chair and pushed a coin through the slot. Pressing start, Noctis put all of his focus toward the game. Soon enough, it was like everything else had vanished. 

The only thing he could see was his pixelated car speeding down the virtual road. Obstacles appeared, which he quickly dodged. The other cars were trying to knock him off the road, but he kicked their asses as he made his way to the lead. The only thing Noctis could hear was the sounds coming from the game, as well as Prompto’s encouragement. He sat back in relief when he finally won.

Prompto held out his hand, indicating that he wanted a high-five, which Noctis gave him. They walked around and played a couple of more games. The pair came across a two-player shooting game.

“Hey, let’s play this!” Prompto suggested.

The coins were inserted, and the two of them grabbed the plastic pistols. The goal of the game was to fight through several waves of aliens in order to reach the top of the tower and retrieve important documents. Creatures emerged on the screen, and Noctis and Prompto began shooting at them.

The first area was simple enough, but the next one was a bit harder. The number of waves of aliens kept increasing the further they progressed in the game. It helped that Noctis had someone to help him. Prompto managed to kill those that Noctis was not able to get to in time.

The final boss was this big, ugly creature with a bunch of tentacles. It was difficult to fight, and they almost died. Noctis probably would not have been able to kill it without Prompto’s help. When the victory title displayed on the screen along with their score, Prompto cheered. Noctis gave Prompto a high five and entered “N&P” into the scoreboard.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Prompto stated.

“What?” Noctis asked, amused.

“I don’t know. It’s just something stupid my teacher said every time she put us all into groups.”

“Well, I guess she wasn’t completely wrong.”

“Yeah, I guess. Hey! Let’s go check the new game out!”

Noctis got dragged over to an arcade machine that had the name “Justice Monsters Five.” The name sounded cool, but it was only a pinball game. He told Prompto that he could go first, and he happily started up the game. Despite it looking like any old pinball machine, Noctis realized that the “Justice Monsters Five” did not function as a traditional pinball game. Monsters appeared, which you had to fight. It felt like a top fighter game, but you clear out hordes with a ball.

When Prompto finished his turn, Noctis decided that he would give it a shot. At first, he had no idea what he was doing. However, he was quick to catch on. He didn’t get a bad score after he finished his turn. Prompto put an arm around his shoulders, which felt nice.

“Not bad!”

The two of them spent the next couple of hours hanging out and playing games. Noctis spotted a gachapon and put a token in it. A capsule came out, and there was a chocobo phone charm inside it. He gave it to Prompto as a thank you gift, and he never thought he would see anyone so happy to receive a charm.

When the two got tired, they decided to go home. On the way back, they talked about random things. Maybe, Prompto had been right. Maybe, he did need to relax. It was nice to forget everything for a while. Once they got back to Prompto’s, the weight of everything was going to crash down on him again. But Noctis wouldn’t trade these past few hours for anything.

Looking at Prompto, Noctis noticed the way the sunlight made his hair glow. And those freckles, damn. It was like the astrals were trying to punish Noctis. His eyes drifted down to Prompto’s lips. He had never thought about kissing anyone until now. He could gaze at Prompto forever if he could, but alas, they reached the front door of the apartment. Noctis continued to look at him.

“What?” Prompto asked.

“N-nothing,” Noctis replied.

He felt himself blush and was sure Prompto was blushing as well.

“It kinda looked like you wanted to kiss me.”

“And if I did?”

“Then, what’s stopping you?”

Noctis went for it and kissed Prompto. He felt butterflies in his stomach as soft lips touched his own. He cupped Prompto’s cheek, and a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders. It felt so right. So, this was why people enjoyed kissing so much. The two of them continued until they had to separate for air.

“Wow,” Prompto breathed out.

“Yeah.”

“Does this mean we’re dating?”

“Yeah. I mean if you want.”

“Totally.”

They smiled at each other before Prompto unlocked the door. After they got inside, Noctis immediately went back to coming up with a plan. He needed to find a way to speak with Ignis by himself. Going back to the Citadel probably wouldn’t work. Then, he was just going to have to corner him after he got off work whenever that would be. Maybe he could go to his apartment. The question was how he was going to get inside?

“Hey, Prom, you don’t happen to know how to pick a lock, do you?”

“What? No?”

Sighing, Noctis searched up tutorials on his phone. This was going to be a long night.

~~———~~

After about an hour of trying to pick the lock, Noctis was inside Ignis’s apartment. Now, all he had to do was wait. He took the time to look around the place. 

The apartment was neatly kept, which was what he had expected Ignis’s place to look like. It was bigger than Prompto’s place. While there weren’t a whole lot of photos hanging on the walls, there were several scented candles littered around the place. There was a framed picture on a small table in the living room. Picking it up, he noticed that it was a photo of him and Ignis when they were younger. Noctis never thought Ignis would actually keep this momento.

After he placed the picture down, he sat on the couch to wait for Ignis to return. As it turned out, he had to wait several hours for his advisor. He wished he had brought a snack or something. Maybe Ignis wouldn’t mind if he searched his pantry? 

It wasn’t until after seven when Ignis came back home. Noctis was sitting on a couch in the living room when he opened the door. Noctis saw that he had his weapons out as he approached the living room. Noctis stood up with his hands out in a non-threatening gesture. Ignis lowered his weapons when he saw who was in his apartment.

“Noct? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the Citadel. How did you get past—”

Ignis narrowed his eyes.

“No. You’re not his highness. You’re that spy who merely looks like him.”

“Wait, listen to me. Please!!”

“I don’t know who you are or how you managed to look exactly like him, but I suppose the Crownsguard will be happy to get that information from you.”

“I’m the real Noctis! You’ve got to believe me!”

Ignis pulled out his phone. This was bad. Noctis had to act quickly, but what could he say? He knew that he should say something that only he and Ignis would know. However, it was hard to pick a memory. Which one would be convincing enough? He only had one chance and could not fuck it up.

“Just hear me out for a second.”

“I’m not going to entertain this nonsense.”

He wasn’t going to lose this opportunity to get his friend back on his side. Clenching his fists, Noctis blurted out the first thing that would come to his mind.

“Remember when I broke a vase when I was five?”

Ignis stopped and looked at him while raising an eyebrow.

“What are you going on about?”

“That vase with the ugly flower design. I knocked it over by accident, and you took the blame. I gave you my favorite stuffed animal because I felt bad.”

Noctis noticed that Ignis had a look on his face that was hard to decipher. At least he wasn’t calling the cops. Noctis took the opportunity to keep going.

“Remember when I returned from Tenebrae? You kept trying to make the same pastries that I had while I was recovering. I kept saying that they were ‘not right,’ or ‘it’s close.’ The truth is you had already gotten it right. I was being selfish and wanted you to continue baking me treats.”

Ignis took a step forward and placed a hand on Noctis’s shoulder.

“I know. I managed to get the recipe a long time ago. I only pretended I didn’t because I enjoy seeing how happy you were whenever you ate one.”

Noctis felt the tears forming in his eyes after hearing what his advisor had said. Ignis no doubt believed him at this point, but he still had some things he needed to get off his shoulders. He wanted to let Ignis know how he felt but couldn’t find the right words to explain it.

“When I would get nightmares as a kid, you would always be there to comfort me. You would hold me while you hummed me back to sleep. You were always there to take care of me, and I never once thanked you. I don’t deserve a friend like you.”

Ignis pulled Noctis in for a hug, and Noctis was unable to stop the tears from sliding down his face. He sobbed into his advisor’s shirt while a hand gently stroked his head. Ignis used a soothing voice to calm him. The gesture reminded him of when they had been younger.

It took twenty minutes for Noctis to stop crying and another several for him to let go of Ignis. He hadn’t fully realized how much he missed the other’s comfort until now. At that moment, there was a small bit of hope that everything was going to be okay.

Suddenly, the moment was interrupted by the sound of Noctis’s stomach growling.

“I forgot to bring something to eat,” Noctis chuckled nervously.

“Well, I’m sure I can whip up something.”

“Thanks. I still don’t like to eat vegetables, by the way.”

“I think I can leave out the vegetables just this once.”

Ignis smiled at him and went into the kitchen to begin making them dinner. Noctis quickly sent a text to Prompto to let him know that everything was all right. Once it was time to eat, Ignis and Noctis spent the next couple of hours catching up. 

Noctis discussed all the places he had seen and the hunts he had gone on. He didn’t miss the look of concern on his advisor’s face, so he assured him that he had been careful. However, he wasn’t sure if Ignis was convinced.

The next topic of conversation was figuring out what to do with the false Noctis. Ignis could help get Noctis in the Citadel and keep the imposter distracted long enough for him to talk to his dad. Of course, there was still the possibility of Gladio getting in the way. There had to be a way of getting through to him, but Noctis doubted it was easy trying to talk to him. Still, he was going to do whatever it took to set things right.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Ignis is back on their side :D


End file.
